Adidas and Kanye reach agreement, ending two‑year dispute
After more than two years of disputes between Adidas and Kanye West, the conflict has officially ended. On Tuesday, October 19, the sports brand announced that an agreement with the rapper had been reached. The issue involved anti-Semitic statements made by the musician.
30 October 2024 15:39
Kanye West is a popular rapper, music producer, artist, vocalist, and fashion designer, often called a visionary by many. In 2020, he was a candidate for the President of the United States. The musician has made many controversial statements and actions. In the past, he has argued that we live in a simulation, that governments are testing how much they can influence our lives, and that we cannot trust what politicians tell us. He has repeatedly offended Jewish people, leading to him being labelled as an anti-Semite.
Kanye West collaborated with Adidas for many years, producing the now-iconic Yeezy shoes. The collaboration ended in 2022 due to the rapper's statements and social media posts. The musician praised Adolf Hitler, saying he was not as bad a person as he is portrayed. He blamed the Holocaust on its victims, the Jews. The conflict between the brand and Kanye West lasted over two years, and its resolution was announced on Tuesday, October 29.
End of the "fight" between Adidas and Kanye West
The dispute between Adidas and Kanye West has officially ended. Both sides of the conflict have managed to settle. According to bbc.com, the sports brand retains Yeezy shares worth about $1.3 billion. Additionally, Adidas can sell the products in batches and donate the proceeds to nonprofit organizations, including its newly launched anti-discrimination foundation. The company informed the media that the remaining Yeezy shares will be sold by 2024.
"There were tensions on many issues [but]... both parties said we don't need to fight any more. When you have conflicts like this, you take provisions and you have legal opinions and there are negotiations and there are settlements being done, and this is the end to it. No-one owes anything to anybody anymore. Whatever was is history," said Bjorn Gulden, CEO of Adidas, in an interview with the media.
